Creating a Surface from a Plurality of 3D Curves

Abstract

It is provided a computer-implemented method for creating a surface from a plurality of 3D curves. The method comprises providing a plurality of 3D curves, determining crossings between pairs of the curves, defining a base graph comprising nodes representing the crossings and arcs connecting pairs of nodes representing crossings that are neighbors, determining, from the graph, a mesh comprising vertices defined by a 3D position and edges connecting pairs of the vertices, and fitting the mesh with a surface. Such a method makes the creation of a surface from a plurality of 3D curves easier.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 or 365 to European Application No. 11306583.3, filed Nov. 29, 2011.[0002]The entire teachings of the above application(s) are incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0003]The invention relates to the field of computer programs and systems, and more specifically to a method, system and program for creating a surface from a plurality of 3D curves.BACKGROUND[0004]A number of systems and programs are offered on the market for the design, the engineering and the manufacturing of objects. CAD is an acronym for Computer-Aided Design, e.g. it relates to software solutions for designing an object. CAE is an acronym for Computer-Aided Engineering, e.g. it relates to software solutions for simulating the physical behavior of a future product. CAM is an acronym for Computer-Aided Manufacturing, e.g. it relates to software solutions for defining manufacturing processes and operations. In such systems, ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

This patent is about a computer-implemented method for creating a surface from a plurality of 3D curves. It involves determining crossings between pairs of curves, creating a base graph with nodes and arcs connecting points from the crossings, and fitting the graph with a surface. The method can be used in computer-aided design (CAD) systems or computer programs, and it allows for the efficient and automated creation of surfaces from curved shapes. The technical effect is that it provides an efficient and automated way to create surfaces from curved shapes.

Problems solved by technology

How best to generate such a patchwork of surfaces from sets of curves is a traditional problem in geometric modeling.

These two publications deal with networks of curves that define a shape, but do not propose to dress the shape with a surface, because of the difficulty of this operation.

One problem of the existing solutions for creating a surface from a plurality of 3D curves is the little flexibility given to the artist or engineer in shape definition.

Existing solutions do not allow unconstrained design actions.

Typically, they do not satisfy a highly creative artist user who is (rightly) impatient with any inflexibility of the computer system when putting new ideas down to the drawing board.

They do not allow for trial and error and very interactive modification of the shape.

They are not usable by any person involved in the product design, but just by the product design artists.

Sweeping and lofting are very useful, and used intensively in CAD systems, but it is not applicable to truly free-form sketching of 3D shapes, because it requires a detailed view of the shape that is to be obtained, and thus does not support an open ended, trial and error type approach.

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